Newbie Questions about Baldur's Gate, please read

[Dreadnought]

I've had the game Baldur's Gate for a long time now, but I just started playing it, and a friend of mine wants to play on-line with me, but I'm not sure how this works, can anyone please answer some questions for me?

If both him and I want to start a new game, will we both be able to create our own characters, or will one of us have to play an NPC's pre-set character?

Will we be able to recruit the other NPC's into our party?

Which of us will be the 'main' character that the story revolves around (provided we may both create our own characters)?

Will we be able to save the game, and pick up on it later? (I guess it's kind of a stupid question, I just want to make sure).

Will we both be in the same group, or will we both have seperate groups of our own?

Would it be possible to pick up on the same game, but in single-player mode instead of multi-player? If so, will the player be in control of both main characters, along with the rest of the party? And when we resume playing multiplayer together, will we pick up where the last person playing single-player left off, or where we last saved while playing multi-player?

Lastly, I know cheating is kind of lame, but we just want to have a good time. Will we be able to use character editors, etc on our multi-player characters?

I also have one question not related to Multi-player, just a big newb question: How are mages supposed to get anything done? I made my main character a mage, and not only does he get pounded into the ground by just about every monster that gets close to him, but his spell damage is pathetic. On top of the fact he can only have a VERY limited amount memorizied at a time, I don't see any inhererint strengths in the class. My fighter rips through monsters, and can take a beating, however my mage usually dies before I even know he is being attacked, and can only cast a few spells before he is empty. Maybe I am doing something wrong, though, any suggestions?
Thank you very much for reading, I would really appreciate any answers.
Thanks again,
Dreadnought (Super-newb)

No clue. But go to the bgwebsite, uh, www.blackisle.com, or look on the box or manual. It might include somthin, but goodluck, and Boo be with u!

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Tis your lives to waste
-Drizzt do Urden

[Grojlach]

If both him and I want to start a new game, will we both be able to create our own characters, or will one of us have to play an NPC's pre-set character?

No, you both will be able to create the characters you want. Whether you want to play one, two or three of 'em.

Will we be able to recruit the other NPC's into our party?

Also a yes.

Which of us will be the 'main' character that the story revolves around (provided we may both create our own characters)?

The one who hosts the game, or in other words, creates it. One of you both has to create the game so the other one can join that game.

Will we be able to save the game, and pick up on it later? (I guess it's kind of a stupid question, I just want to make sure).

Sure, why not?

Will we both be in the same group, or will we both have seperate groups of our own?

No, you'll both be part of the same party.

Would it be possible to pick up on the same game, but in single-player mode instead of multi-player? If so, will the player be in control of both main characters, along with the rest of the party? And when we resume playing multiplayer together, will we pick up where the last person playing single-player left off, or where we last saved while playing multi-player?

Hmm, I know it's possible to convert singleplayergames to multiplayer format, but I'm not sure of the opposite... But speaking hypothetically that it's possible, it will become a singleplayer game. And I stated before there's only one protagonist anyway, so you won't end up with two Baalspawn (or three, if you take **** along ). And converting back to multiplayer won't be any trouble then. Yes, you will start at the point then where the single player stopped his last game. (please also note the host is responsible for loading and saving the game, not the one who joined in)

Lastly, I know cheating is kind of lame, but we just want to have a good time. Will we be able to use character editors, etc on our multi-player characters?

Another yes. Shadowkeeper is a tool to edit saved games, so if the host saves the game, he will be able to mess around with it as much as possible. I even recall a situation with a multiplayergame in which the host changed the name of the character of one of our fellow players, originally named "Keldirk" to "Keldork". It took him 2 weeks of intensive playing to figure out his character had a new name.

I also have one question not related to Multi-player, just a big newb question: How are mages supposed to get anything done? I made my main character a mage, and not only does he get pounded into the ground by just about every monster that gets close to him, but his spell damage is pathetic. On top of the fact he can only have a VERY limited amount memorizied at a time, I don't see any inhererint strengths in the class. My fighter rips through monsters, and can take a beating, however my mage usually dies before I even know he is being attacked, and can only cast a few spells before he is empty. Maybe I am doing something wrong, though, any suggestions?

No, you're not doing anything wrong. Mages just tend to be a little fragile at very low level. But they're not built for melee battles, so don't try to use them that way either!

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Not a member of any clan and is cool with that.
Talk about anything you want at The Elysium.
For online roleplaying, check The Elysium Gaming Project.

[This message has been edited by Grojlach (edited 10-25-2001).]

[Kaz]

You can play a multiplayer game without any other players, thereby basically turning it into a single-player game.

Mages are rather useless at a low level, but later they are AWESOME. End of Bg1/ whole of BG2 mages ROCK

Er, Grojlach... there is a gigantic BG2 SPOILER in your post. Could you please mark it as such? Namely, the fact that
WARNING BIG BG2 SPOILER COMING UP!
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...Imoen is also a Child of Bhaal. I accidentally read EXACTLY the same spoiler because someone, although marking it as one, neglected to say that it was a BG2 spoiler although it was in the BG1 forum!

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Sapphire Dragoness of ALSB
Waitress at Cloudy's Cafe
Magess of Lady Lioness' Court
Saint of the SoS
Historian of IW
Most Illustrious Arch-Magess of the Illuminati
Lux omnis est
Once Upon A Paper Writer's Forum

[Grojlach]

Originally posted by Kaz: Er, Grojlach... there is a gigantic BG2 SPOILER in your post. Could you please mark it as such? Namely, the fact that WARNING BIG BG2 SPOILER COMING UP! - - - - - - - - - - - - - ...Imoen is also a Child of Bhaal. I accidentally read EXACTLY the same spoiler because someone, although marking it as one, neglected to say that it was a BG2 spoiler although it was in the BG1 forum!

I edited it out. You're right, it's hard to watch your words if you know that particular fact for more than a year already like I do, when I first finished the game. It just slipped out of my mouth, if you hadn't said anything about it, I still wouldn't realize it contained a major spoiler.
Sorry sorry sorry.

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Not a member of any clan and is cool with that.
Talk about anything you want at The Elysium.
For online roleplaying, check The Elysium Gaming Project.

[Kaz]

Originally posted by Grojlach: I edited it out. You're right, it's hard to watch your words if you know that particular fact for more than a year already like I do, when I first finished the game. It just slipped out of my mouth, if you hadn't said anything about it, I still wouldn't realize it contained a major spoiler. Sorry sorry sorry.

Much better I understand how hard it is to check everything you post here, I have just reached the stage in BG2 where I would have known anyway and sometimes have trouble not to post any BG2 spoilers...

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Sapphire Dragoness of ALSB
Waitress at Cloudy's Cafe
Magess of Lady Lioness' Court
Saint of the SoS
Historian of IW
Most Illustrious Arch-Magess of the Illuminati
Lux omnis est
Once Upon A Paper Writer's Forum

[Morgan_Corbesant]

mages are a good challenge yes. here is an idea to get you started. pick a human class of anykind except paladin, ranger, druid, or bard. use thief, cleric, or fighter. get him up a level or two, so you have better hp. then, dual to a mage. when you pass the (we'll say fighters) level, you will be a fighter mage, but only progress as a mage. you will be able to wield a shield, and make sure you are specialized in bows. then you can fire arrows, instead of closing the distance. also, wear some armor, since you wont be casting any good spells right off hand anyway. when you get to level five or something like that, then you should be able to do some *DECENT* damage as a mage. just get yourself a helmet, a good shield, a good bow, and some form of armor. you should be able to do just fine. also, try to get the XP cap removed. you will get loads more spells per level with higher levels, and SHOULD get there fairly fast as a solo player. i did, so i took my character to be a 10th level fighter, then dualed him to a mage. i did it that way as a thief too. loads of hp's, a good thaco, saving throws, and you will advance as your second character ONLY once you dual. it works out great. just my two gold pieces though.






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Morgan Corbesant, Elven BladeSinger, Captain of the army of the Seldarine

[SixOfSpades]

A (long) note about Dual-classing:

It is indeed a GREAT ability, provided you plan ahead. Each Dual-classing plan has benefits and drawbacks, make sure you know what they are:

Your hitpoints are affected by what class you are for your first TEN levels. A 10th-level Mage has 10d4 hit dice, a 10th-level Fighter 10d10 hit dice. After that, all classes gain 1 to 3 hitpoints per level. Dual hitpoints are determined by your FIRST class: A 7th-level fighter has 7d10 HP, then duals to Mage. He gets NO extra HP for the first 7 levels, then starts gaining Mage HP at level 8. At level 10, he has 7d10 + 3d4 hitpoints.

THAC0 is determined by your SECOND class. An 8th-level Fighter puts points in Long Sword and drives his THAC0 down to 3. He then Duals to Mage, and loses his THAC0, which he will not get back, even after he reaches Level 9. A Fighter/Mage who has regained his Fighter abilities can still put weapon points in things like Axe, but only at the rate a Mage would get weapon points. (1 point every 5/6 levels, where a Fighter can do 1 every 3 levels.) His THAC0 progression will also be that of a Mage.

I believe Saving Throws are based on your second class as well.

So far, I think the best Dual plan is to build a Level 6 Fighter and do Blunt+++, Missile+++, or even go to Level 15 and do Blunt+++ Missile+++ Spiked+++. Then Dual to Cleric and slap on the Claw of Kazgaroth. BANZAIII!!!!

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Boots of Stealth: 1125 gp
Shadow Armor: 7875 gp
Slipping an Oil of Firey Burning down the back of Sarevok's armor: Priceless

[Dreadnought]

I really appreciate all the help, but I have one last question:

How does the damage system work? I don't understand what 1d8 damage means, is it just 1-8? Or does the D mean something else? I'm having a hard time comparing weapons when I don't understand the damage rating. Sometimes on spells I notice the higher number comes first (like 10d6 for example), what all of this mean?
Again, thanks a lot for the help,
Dreadnought

[SixOfSpades]

The first number refers to the number of dice, and the second is the number of sides on each die. You're right, 1d8 could mean any number from 1 to 8, and 10d10 could be anything from 10 to 100.